Caroll Edwin Spinney, sometimes credited as Carroll Spinney or Ed Spinney, was an American puppeteer, cartoonist, author, and speaker, best known for performing as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on Sesame Street.
He performed Big Bird and Oscar in Disney-related Muppet productions, including a guest appearance on The Muppet Show with Leslie Uggams, The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppets Take Manhattan, NBC Salutes the 25th Anniversary of the Wonderful World of Disney, The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years, A Muppet Family Christmas, The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson, the Scrubs episode "My ABC's", and some appearances on the ABC Studios television series Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
Some of his early animated short films also led him to a job offer at Disney, which Spinney turned down at the last minute.
Caroll Spinney recalled looking at a Little Golden Book in his autobiography, The Wisdom of Big Bird: "Surrounding a list of other Little Golden Books titles was a border fashioned from a curving musical staff. Dancing along with the musical notes were Minnie and Mickey Mouse, Donald and Daisy Duck, Snow White and Dopey, Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam, and Big Bird and Oscar. These were my characters, perfectly cartooned, dancing with my favorite cartoon characters from childhood... 'My God!' I said. 'I've gotten up there with Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse!'"
He also voiced a dog in Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey.
He died 18 days before his 86th birthday.
